Rackspace Startup Program Spotlight On SURGE

Home to more than 5,000 energy related firms, Houston is the fourth most populous city in the United States and considered by many as the Energy Capital of the World. It’s no wonder that the Rackspace Startup Program’s[1] latest partner chose Houston as home base. SURGE[2] Accelerator, a member of the exclusive TechStars Network, is the pre-eminent mentor-driven, early stage accelerator and venture fund that enables entrepreneurs to solve the world’s energy problems using software. SURGE assists startups seeking to innovate and exploit the massive shifts in technology, policy and expertise in the traditional energy industry.

[3]SURGE was founded by leading energy industry executives, venture capitalists, angel investors, potential pilot companies, successful entrepreneurs and the energy community. Until now, there has been no collective effort to take ideas from prototype to commercialization in the field of energy and take advantage of the massive changes occurring like Cloud Computing and big data. SURGE teams will focus on changes happening in technology, policy and expertise at a time whereby the industry’s experts are almost all at retirement age.

“An oilfield today collects up to a terabyte of data per day. Smart meters collect data on each residence and business every 15 minutes or more. This data is massive and needs to be managed to keep our energy costs down,” explains SURGE Co-founder and Managing Director Kirk Brand Coburn. “Houston was recently voted among the top cities in the nation for IT jobs. It is also the leader in commercializing new energy. Texas has the largest deregulated electricity market, the largest population of deployed smart meters, and we’re the number one state in wind power generation. Houston is the place for the SURGE revolution to happen!”

“We are solving a global problem in the largest industry in the world that impacts everyone. We love it. We are all entrepreneurs and investors that want to be in the middle of the next big revolution. Come join us!” explains Coburn. “We have selected our first class of 10 companies to come join us at the RedHouse in midtown Houston. Our first class launches on March 1, 2012 and our SURGE Day (final pitch day) is May 24th. We will be solving the world’s energy problems using software 10 companies at a time.”

[4]SURGE is here to solve the world’s energy problems using software while assisting startups that seek to innovate and exploit the massive shifts in technology, policy and expertise in the traditional energy industry. The Rackspace Startup Program[5] is truly excited to find out about the ideas and companies that are forming inside the inaugural class of the accelerator SURGE.

The Space Cowboys are prepared to provide the rocket fuel that your startup needs to launch. For more information on the Rackspace Startup Program, check out our website or drop us a note[6] today.